The Fairy and Her Swordsman
by Deparde Quizno
Summary: A mysterious girl finds her way to a man with the same cursed fate. The two partner with each other for years in search for what they both desire. One wants answers for why, the other simply wants revenge. One chance encounter offers them the doorway to salvation, or suicide.
1. Chapter 0: Prototype Chapter

_AN: (This is a prototype chapter to see if people were interested in the idea of the crossover, or curious to see if this was for real. The real story begins in the next chapter. Thank You.)_

* * *

A teenaged girl in dirty patched rags traveled through a forest. She couldn't help but wonder if what her life would be like if she was normal. She didn't attend school like other girls her age, nor did she make any friends. She was far from stupid, but not a genius either. She couldn't keep pets with her. She never lived in a house for more than a week. She was always moving. Always with that man that shared a twisted fate. She ran to his side and pulled at his arm with a whine.

"How much farther?~"

A gruff voice growled back followed by a tired groan.

"If you keep asking, it'll only take longer."

Bloom looked up at him, this large man clad in black, and gave him a pout.

"I'm tired! We've been walking for hours and it's almost nighttime!"

"Complaining won't get you anywhere."

"Well it'll make me feel better!"

He scoffed as he began to walk faster.

"It's all you do, so I doubt that."

"Hey! D-Don't walk faster, I can barely keep up!"

He looked back with a sneer.

"Then maybe you should quit wasting your breath talking, and pace yourself to walk faster."

"Ngh! You're such a jerk!"

He looked straight ahead in silence, laughing on the inside at the girl's hopelessness. At times he'd wonder why he even kept her around.

* * *

 _"H-Ha... Hah... Hah... Please..."_

 _A man clad in all black armor and a black shroud for a cape looked down at a small child with fiery red hair. She was barely clothed and shivered in the snowstorm. He merely stared at her._

 _"What do you want."_

 _"... I-I'm... I'm cold..."_

 _"No shit. That's not my problem."_

 _Tears welled up in her eyes as she approached him barefoot. She was wounded and frostbitten. It was a burden that she wasn't dead yet. She reached out to him but fell over with a yelp._

 _"Please... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."_

 _"Huh? What're you apologizing for?"_

 _The girl curled up into a ball as she shivered horribly._

 _"I don't... I don't want to die... Make the pain stop..."_

 _He ignored her as he stood up to leave the girl to freeze to the death. She grabbed onto his cloak and looked at him with pleading eyes._

 _"My chest... It hurts again... Please help..."_

 _"Let go of me! Don't touch me you brat!"_

 _He glared down at her with a snarl, but was soon taken aback. Breathless for just a moment as he saw the source of her pain. Not the cold or small wounds on her frail frame, but a brand he knew all too well. A Brand of Sacrifice laid right above her heart. It bled as did his, on the side of his neck._

 _"You...! How'd a kid like you stay alive with...?!"_

 _A number of thoughts ran through his head, but he didn't have time to worry. They were coming for him. For both of them. He grabbed the child and held her in one arm._

 _"I'm going to put you somewhere hidden. Don't make any noises."_

 _"... Hah... Hah..."_

 _He trekked through the harsh blizzard as the girl hung onto him tightly. Snow began to rise from the ground as they formed large snowmen. He held his sword, but halted at the scream from the girl. He was surprised she had the strength to do so, as well as flail and thrash wildly._

 _"G-Get them away...! Get them away from me...!"_

 _"Oi! Shut up! I'm doing just-"_

 _"NOW!"_

 _She screamed and held her hands out at the snowmen as she began to glow a bright orange. From her body snaked out the head of an ethereal glowing dragon. For a moment it felt like a summer's breeze had just passed the man, but as the rest of the body shot out, it was like he had been thrown into a raging inferno as he was launched back from her. The dragon flew around in an erratic and random pattern. Burning away all the snowmen as it caught the evil spirits that possessed them in its maw. As the specters howled in agony and despair, curses and gnashing of teeth, the dragon crushed them between its jaws as fire flowed from between the teeth. It flew off into the distance and left the girl alone. He then realized how a small child could have lived under such harsh conditions._

 _"That power! Could it really hurt them? Could it hurt, him..."_

 _Her rags had been burned away as her wounds had healed entirely. She opened her eyes and weakly bony arm erupted from the ground and grabbed her by the ankle. A decayed corpse rose up with a rasp as the ankle began to pop and snap._

 _"Aiiie!"_

 _A knife stabbed into the head of the corpse. Killing it instantly as it let go of the girl. She stumbled back and hit her head against the man's leg._

 _"Agh! M-Mister...!"_

 _"We're not done."_

 _She blinked at him. Confused and terrified. She thought this would be the end of her, that this man would kill her for what she had done. She then saw a flash before the cry of the undead was heard. The man stared down at her._

 _"Girl. Can't you do that again?"_

 _"... What?"_

 _"Magic! That's what it was, wasn't it?! Do it again!"_

 _"I-I can't...! I-I'm too tired! And-"_

 _She turned to the sound of a nearby moan. Corpses rose from the ground and crawled from the snowmen as they marched together. Monstrous bats and ugly man-face wolves came. A small pack lunged right for her with slathering jaws._

 _"AAAAAAAAAAH!"_

 _ ***CLANG*** _

_Before her eyes the demons were cleaved into pieces in a single swing. Not by a sword. It was much too big to be called a sword. Massive, thick, heavy and far too rough. It was more like a heap of raw iron. The girl was young, but even she knew such a thing should never have been able to move so fast. More and more monsters came for her, and more and more were killed in front of her eyes in a flash. The swordsman pulled the girl by her hair to her feet._

 _"Ow! Ow, st-stop it!"_

 _"Take this."_

 _He gave her one of his knives. She took it with a frightened look on her eyes. She held it up to him._

 _"What do I do with this...?"_

 _"That's up to you. You either drop it and accept your fate or..."_

 _He smiled at her as he saw the demons closing in on them. She turned and held the knife out on instinct as she began to shake in fear alone. He only readied himself._

 _"Don't die."_

 _It felt like an agonizing eternity. The hour of peace had come and the last of the demons were slain by the swordsman. The girl panted heavily as she began to cry. She fell to the ground on her side._

 _"I... It just got so cold... I hurt all over... I'm so tired..."_

 _He looked down at her and prodded at her with his heel. Almost kicking her._

 _"If you've time and strength to cry, then don't. Use that to move, use that strength to live. To fight."_

 _"I-I... I... I don't want to..."_

 _"You don't have a choice. Move or die. No one's coming to drag you along."_

 _He walked over her and stomped away._

 _"No one is coming to take care of you."_

 _As he began to leave her, he heard small crunches in the snow over his, and looked back._

 _"W-Wa-Wait... Puh-Pu-Please..."_

 _The girl slowly dragged her feet after him in the snow as she hugged herself desperately. He saw that she kept a hold of the bloody knife._

 _"You should just die right there. It'd be easier for you if you did. You'd have nothing to worry about."_

 _She stopped for a moment. Mortified by his words._

 _"Hah... Hah..."_

 _"You were complaining so much now. What happened? Why don't you use that knife and just end it if it's too much."_

 _She looked down at the knife. The pointed end was up as the edge was still sharp._

 _"It'd be so easy, y'know? No more pain. Just a never-ending dream. Sounds nice, doesn't it?"_

 _"..."_

 _"If it sounds good, then you should just do it."_

 _She looked at him as her skin began to crawl. Silent as he smiled at her._

 _"Just, kill yourself."_

 _She looked down and wiped the tears from her eyes as she held back a sob. Then, looked at him with something he hadn't seen in a long time. Something that he had felt only a few rare moments. The burning desire to live. She ran past him, nearly falling over on her face, and threw the knife at his feet._

 _"... Why... Don't you just... S-Shut up...? M-Mea-Meanie..."_

 _He looked at her run away into the blizzard and bit back a remark as he ran after her._

 _"Wait, you stupid girl!"_

 _He chased after her easily as she had passed out in a few steps. He lifted her up and looked around. Only a barren icy wasteland surrounded them both. He grumbled as he shed his cloak and wrapped her in it as he held her tightly._

 _"This is going to be annoying..."_

 _He found a small forest area with a cave just big enough for them to find shelter from the harsh winds. He placed her on the ground and sat across from her. His eyelid grew heavy. He hadn't slept in some time. Maybe, just maybe, this could work._

 _"Psst. Mister! Mister!~"_

 _He woke up to the girl shaking him. The late morning sun shone through the cave as birds chirped outside. The snowstorm had ended._

 _"Wake up! Y-You're not, gone, are you? Please don't be dead!"_

 _"No. Just annoyed."_

 _He opened his eye and growled at how close she was to him._

 _"Don't touch me."_

 _She took a step back with a sad frown._

 _"I'm sorry... Uh, I'm Bloom! That's what the Audrey said, he's from the orphanage like me!"_

 _"I don't care."_

 _"You're really big! And, is that thing a sword? How do you hold it with one hand?!"_

 _"I'm strong."_

 _"What's with your eye? I tried to open it but nothing's there. A-And your arm is made of metal..."_

 _"I lost them."_

 _"Do you need help finding them?"_

 _He glared at the girl but sighed as he saw the genuine curiosity on her face._

 _"No... It's gone and I'm fine without my eye. This new arm is better than my old one anyways."_

 _"O-Oh... Uh... Thank you!"_

 _"For what. You survived on your own just like I did."_

 _"I did? On my own...?"_

 _"Don't get used to wearing that. I'll need it back."_

 _"B-But...!"_

 _She hugged herself tightly under the black shroud._

 _"I don't have anything else to wear!"_

 _"... Fine. When we get to a town you'll look for something for you to wear."_

 _The girl smiled brightly and ran into him with a hug._

 _"Thank you! I-I knew you weren't a bad man!"_

 _He instinctively scowled and shouted at her._

 _"Don't Touch Me!"_

 _"Aah!"_

 _She jumped back with a squeak and a guilty face. He grunted and looked outside the cave._

 _"Hey, girl. What's your name again?"_

 _"B-Bloom... What's yours?"_

 _"... It's..."_

* * *

"... uts... Guts... GUTS!"

Guts put a hand over Bloom's mouth as she shook his head from daydreaming.

"Quieter. What is it?"

Bloom spoke behind the fake hand with muffled grunts before she pointed to the side.

"Okay, now say that in a voice that doesn't give us away."

Bloom shoved the fake hand away and pointed to the side again.

"Someone cried out for help over there! A girl!"

"And...?"

Bloom groaned and threw her hands in the air.

"Guts, don't be like this now, have a heart!"

Guts mimicked her in an deadpanned expression.

"Bloom. Don't be like this now, use your brain. I know your Brand is acting up!"

"It is, but it's not bleeding! I feel weird, like I need to do this!"

"You say that about every situation when you want to help."

"If you're not going to help them, then I will, by myself!"

Bloom ran off into the thick woods with Guts simply looking at her perturbed.

"... Dammit."

He walked after her as he rubbed the Brand on his neck. Sunset was approaching soon, and he'd rather not have her out on her own should the demons come early. Bloom deftly made her way through the trees and shrubbery as she listened for the sounds. A girl was fighting off what sounded like a man. She leapt out into a clearing and found a peculiar sight, even for her. A girl no older than herself with beauteous butterfly wings and strange clothes faced a giant wide man with pale yellow skin and brown overalls.

"What on earth...? Hey, big guy! Leave that girl alone!"

The girl smiled with a breath of relief as she flourished an ivory scepter.

"Whew, a friend! Good timing there!"

The large man roared loudly.

"I don't care how many of you Fairies there are, I'm getting that scepter! Ghoulies! Take care of that brat!"

A number of small red impish creatures left the side of the large man and lunged at Bloom. However, the imps were surprised by her response. Bloom seized one by the throat in the air and used it as a shield from the others. She threw it at the group before she sprinted for the large man.

"H-Huh? Think you're so tough, missy? I'll show yo-"

Bloom threw her patched robes in the face of the large man. Underneath was a light leather armor with a knife strap across her chest and left thigh. She leapt up from the ground and kneed the man in the throat as he was distracted from the robe.

"Hurrk!"

She smirked as she held her hands up to his side after she ducked from a blind backhand.

"You're too heated for this, so go take a break before you burn out!"

A large fireball flew from her hands and struck the man with great force. He fell to the ground in great pain as he threw the robe away.

"W-What?! Another Fairy!?"

Bloom took one of her knives and threw at the eye of the yellow man. However, the hilt hit the eye rather than the blade. While he shrieked in agony, Bloom couldn't help but blush.

"Oh man, I'm glad he isn't here for once...!"

The yellow man clapped twice before he and his minions vanished in a puff of smoke. Bloom relaxed before she jumped at the blonde girl's squeal.

"Wowie!~ I didn't expect another Fairy all the way out here! I was sure I was going to be on my own!"

Bloom raised a brow at her as she scratched her head.

"F-Fairy...? I've seen elves before but, I'm a witch! I... think?"

"You think, or you know?~ Why would you be a cranky ol' Witch anyways?"

"C-Cranky? Hold on, what are you? Are you an Apostle?"

Bloom tensed and readied her hands for another attack, but felt somewhat guilty as Stella raised her hands in a surrending manner.

"N-No! No, no, I don't even know what an Apostle is! ... A-Actually, I don't even know what planet this is. It's very similar to Earth."

The guilt turned into suspicion and skepticism as she folded her arms at the blonde.

"Uh, what're you talking about? You're definitely not human, but you're not evil either."

"I could say the same thing about you, you really came through for me by taking on that ogre!"

"Oh, he wasn't that ugly!"

"No! That guy was a real ogre!"

Bloom rubbed her chin with a raised brow.

"Nu-uh!~ Ogres are as big as a small house and got these weird faces! They're monstrous! We'd need Guts' help with those."

The blonde gave Bloom a similar face as they stared each other down. Then, she smiled and offered a hand.

"You're really weird, but I know a Fairy when I see one! My name's Stella, and I'm on my way to a college for Fairies like us! You should come with!"

"... Huh? Er, I mean I'm Bloom. What kind of college are we talking about here?"

Stella pulled out an invitation. It was so clean and well made. Bloom had rarely seen something so colorful.

"Alfea...? B-But, I can't go. Not now at least!"

Stella seemed puzzled by Bloom's words before she chuckled.

"Oh!~ I get it, well you don't have to worry about making friends-"

"No it's not that!"

"Got to talk with your parents about it?"

Bloom opened her mouth but then thought about it.

"H-Hey... This college is in another world, right?"

"Sure is! It's called, Magix! Well anything and everything can happened, time and space and all kinds of magical things go on in there! It can be as thrilling as it is frightening!~"

Bloom smiled faintly before she hissed out in poin. The sun had set, and the hour had come. Stella placed a hand over Bloom's shoulder with a worried expression.

"Hey, what's with you? What's wrong?"

"It's... My bad luck. I gotta go, you have to get away from me!"

Bloom pulled away from Stella and ran away from her. She heard Stella cry out for her, but she could feel the evil spirits coming for her.

"Hnngh... H-Haagh... I hate this..."

"BLOOM!"

"AH!"

Bloom turned and threw a knife at Stella in fright. Stella caught the knife with her magic and turned it to an apple.

"Phew! You could hurt someone like that, better be glad I was prepared for... What's with that look?"

Stella was disturbed by the terrified expression. As if Bloom had seen something horrible. Stella looked back but only saw that thick woods in the darkness of night.

"W-What's with you?! You're freaking me out Bloom!"

"An Apostle... They... They shouldn't be here by now!"

"Who shouldn't...? Bloom I can help you like you helped me. Just tell me what to do!"

Bloom stood up and shook her head.

"I don't know. I just... Guts!"

"Who?"

Bloom began to run, but was pulled back by Stella.

"Hold on!"

"What're you doing, let me go!"

"I have wings! I can find whoever Guts is for you!"

"Can you carry me?"

Stella blinked in thought for just a moment.

"Uh, I can try? Can't you fly?"

"Just hurry!"

Stella held Bloom tightly as she took to the air with her wings.

"Whew! All that stuff on makes you weigh a ton!"

Bloom gave Stella an annoyed and disappointed look.

"It's just leather, knives, and gunpowder. Are you calling me fat?"

"Uh... H-Hehehe! No! Not at all! Hey did you hear that?

Cannon fire echoed out as a small fire just under them. A small area of the forest had been set ablaze. Stella began to fly away.

"Whoa, not going nea-"

Bloom shouted as she began to wrestle herself out of Stella's grip.

"T-There! He's there! That was his fake arm going off!"

"U-Uh! Don't move around like that, I'll drop you!"

"Just fly low enough for the tree tops! I have to help him!"

"Roger!"

Stella flew low to the trees and released Bloom into the fire. Bloom landed with a roll as she came unto a familiar scene. Guts swung away at a burning living tree as corpses held onto his body, gnawing at both his armor and flesh.

"Guts!"

She ran to the enraged swordsman in between a horde of zombies. She slid across the ground to dodge the swing of his blade and threw her knives into the skulls of the corpses on his body. Most had died, but one only reached for his throat. Guts leaned back as he blocked a tree branch aimed for his back and returned the attack with a head-butt. After using his head, he snared the corpse by the throat with his own mouth and threw it into the tree. The tree ate the undead and continued to chomp down on Guts. Bloom wouldn't allow it as she sent another fireball right through the maw of tree. The fires began to swirl and mix, fusing into one large inferno as numerous dark souls formed an infernal being, a giant human shaped fire. Howling sounded as crazed hounds entered the scene with the rest of the corpses. Stella saw the scene and flew closer with a paled face.

"W... What is this...? H-He-HEY! GET OUT OF THERE, THERE'S TOO MANY OF THEM! A-Ah!"

Stella barely reacted in time for the large torrent of fire shot at her. Though she dodged, the heat alone gave her small burns. A number of arms formed from the flame and grabbed a monster for each arm. It threw the vile creatures at Stella as the fire itself neared the cursed duo. Stella dodged monster after monster before a corpse latched onto her leg. She screeched and swung at it with her scepter. However, before her spell could be casted, a thrown hound bit down on the magical item. Stella weighed too much now to keep afloat and began to fall. Bloom saw Stella's descent and gasped.

"Stella!"

Guts shouted at her and pulled her behind him as the living fire clawed at them. He blocked the attack with his sword as he began to felt lightheaded. It was hard to breathe with all the smoke and ashes stung his eye. The fire gave a sinister smile as it circled the two.

 _ **"How, unfortunate... beauty and rarity among us is a Sacrifice. It makes no difference, as all are doomed to the pits of Hell for their sins! BURN IN AGONY!"**_

The fire became a flaming tornado with a villainous cackle. Bloom couldn't take much more as she began to feel faint, the burns appeared on her face and body at a slower rate than Guts, who was enveloped in the flame. Stella saw the rising spire of fire and spun in the air fast as she could. Past the pain of her leg being eaten, past th hound's jaws snapping at her head. With a spell, she managed to create a repulse of light from her body and throw the monsters into the fire. She had very little strength left in her as she fell to the ground. Only a few feet away from the burning pillar, she saw two figures be cooked alive inside. The Apostle believed he had won. Guts roared with great indignation as he swung his sword. He disrupted the wind and the flow of the fire, he had split it apart and unknowingly cut the astral body of the flame. Though no blood, the Apostle felt the pain.

 _ **"W-What...?! With such an unconventional weapon, how could you- Ah!"**_

Guts had begun to swing at the fire in a mad frenzy. Spreading the fire thinner than it could grow, faster than it could breath, he had begun to snuff the flame out.

 _ **"N... No... Stop... You... Bastarrrrddd..."**_

"Go burn in your own pit."

Guts swung down and snuffed the last of the fire away. Bloom shook her head and coughed as she saw the number of spirits after them hadn't diminished even after the death of the Apostle.

"G-Guts...!"

"Bloom. No more talking."

"T-That's not it! Stella, that girl there!"

"If you want to protect her, do it on your own. **I'm busy**."

Guts cried out as he raised his sword high and began to cleave through the undead and the possessed beasts. Stella could only watch in terror as she watched this man, this demon, swing to his heart's content. An honest smile on his face as savagely attacked the blood seeking monsters. To her, she couldn't tell the difference between the two.

"This is... I can't do this... I'm not gonna make it..."

"Stella!"

Bloom saw Stella surrounded by a strange smoke and numerous embers. The shape of the fiery Apostle formed above Stella's body.

 _"Burn... Flesh... Flesh will burn... Burn for me...A new fire... I-I don't want to die... **Flesh Will Burn Me A New FIRE."**_

The smoke began to burn at Stella's flesh. She screeched in pain as her hair and skin began to peel into and burn into larger embers.

 _ **"Yes... Yes...! Yessss-"**_

The Apostle stopped as it heard a new roar. A crimson ethereal dragon flew at him with its maw wide open and no time for him to dodge.

 _ **"oh no..."**_

With a solid clamp, the dragon ate and burned away the Apostle for good. Nothing was left of him as the dragon snaked through the other monsters surrounding Stella and Bloom. Bloom helped Stella up to her feet.

"Here, lean on me. Are you okay?

"... B-Berserk..."

"Huh?"

Weakly, Stella pointed at Guts. Her eyes hadn't left him nor the gruesome scene he partook in as he tactfully massacred the possessed creatures. His lone eye was faded, as if there truly was nothing left inside of him that was human. The only sounds he made was laughter as he swung his slab of iron.

"Him... He's berserk..."

Bloom stared at the face Stella had. She saw it many times before and had it herself a number of times. She then looked to Guts with a wistful expression.

"That's the world we inhabit... Guts and I alone."

Stella turned to Bloom in surprise. The two were nothing alike and yet here she was. Then Stella called out in a hoarse voice.

"B-Bloom!"

Bloom pulled out the last knife on her chest strap and cut away at the air. Large bats that had flown at her fell dead to the ground, but not all as one bit own and tore a chunk out of her ear. With a hiss, she let got of Stella and grabbed the bat as she repeatedly stabbed into it. A colony of bats swarmed Bloom and began to tear away at her armor and flesh, even her hair. Stella held up her hands and shot a weak bolt from her body. She was spent, unprepared for any of this and suffered for it. She turned to call out to the frenzied swordsman, but he had vanished. Stella noticed an encroaching shadow that grew below her. Guts had leapt up and brought his sword down on the colony and Bloom. It ran through numerous bats and forced them to scatter, yet stopped above her shoulder. Stella was surprised that it stopped at all as she watched Guts stare down at Bloom. Bloom was dazed and swayed side to side. Her vision became blurry and began to fade.

"Hey. Don't pass out."

With such a casual tone, Stella didn't believer her eyes as Bloom shook herself out of her stupor and smiled. A bright beautiful smile in the face of this blood soaked fiend.

"S-Sorry...!~ I guess I got carried away."

Guts scoffed and ruffled her hair roughly.

"No, you just weren't paying attention. Who's the blonde you were focused on?"

Bloom gestured to Stella.

"This is Stella, she calls herself a fairy! I mean, just look at those wings!"

Guts looked at Stella and raised a brow.

"What wings?"

"Huh? Whaddya mean, what wings, they're right... Oh."

Stella had passed out as her clothes changed into a strange and illustrious dress, though ash and bloodstained now. Bloom reached down for her, but yelped as Guts kicked her legs and tripped onto Stella. Guts crushed the head of a possessed wolf with his fake hand as the bats returned. Ghosts and ghouls floated into view with moans. Guts looked down at Bloom as he readied himself.

"Keep low and keep aware of your surroundings. Don't get distracted."

"You don't have to keep reminding me!"

"You don't have to keep being reckless."

Bloom glared at Guts as she mumbled under her breath.

"Pot calling the kettle black..."

Stella opened her eyes to bright rays of sunlight. A peaceful air with a leaves rustling in the wind. She slept like a rock and woke up with a mighty yawn.

"You're awake."

Stella rubbed her eyes with whine.

"Ugh, what a nightmare. I'm so glad I won't have to see that black sword-wielding freak again."

She turned to see that her resting place was in the lap of said freak. She opened her mouth to scream but he had slapped his hand over it with a shush.

"You'll wake Bloom up. She hasn't slept in a few days."

Stella looked down at Bloom who slept soundly. Her burns and cuts had all healed, even the missing chunk of her ear had returned. She looked peaceful in the wrapped arm of the swordsman.

"If I lower that hand, are you going to let her sleep?"

Stella nodded several times as Guts lowered his hand and ran it through his spiky black hair.

"You said something to Bloom. What was it? She risked her life to keep you alive so she could know."

"I saw! What was all that, crazy stuff going on last night! What was all that?!"

"Don't answer my question with your own."

"Erm... Bloom is a Fairy, like me, so I thought she could come with me to Magix!"

Guts raised a brow at Stella. He put a hand on his neck, right over the Brand.

"You're not human is what you're saying, right?"

"I guess you could say it like that.~"

He groaned but couldn't help like he had finally solved a puzzle piece for a moment. Ever since he met her he had a felt a strange sensation from his Brand. Not pain, nor comfort, something ambiguous. Now he felt it again with Stella.

"So where is, Magix."

Stella pulled out an invitation and postcard with a bright smile.

"This I-"

"Shhh!"

Bloom mumbled and shifted in her sleep. Guts motioned with his hand for Stella to speak quieter.

"A-As I was saying... This is an invitation for my friend, but she refused, so I was going to have Bloom take her place. Magix is a whole separate world from this one where dreams become reality."

Guts rolled his eye for the most part until the last few words.

"Dreams become, reality? What like, a world of ideas?"

Stella nodded with a smile.

"That's actually pretty accurate! Strange creatures and wonderful things await there! Out of this world, literally."

"And Bloom can go to a college there for her magic. That's good."

"Well I don't know why you'd want her to stay considering last night. Which, I'm still waiting on an answer for!"

Guts lowered his head and turned to the side as he showed off his Brand.

"We have this on our bodies. It's called a Brand of Sacrifice. I think the name is self explanatory."

"You two are branded...? Who'd do something so cruel?"

Guts' gaze grew darker.

"A demon. In fact, every night we're hunted by those spirits. No matter where we go, who we meet, always hunting us. So we're always moving. We're the Devil's property now, and nothing in this world will change it."

Stella shrank back for a moment before she proudly held out the postcard.

"In this world maybe, but have you ever been to another?"

"Not really..."

"Well quit your savage life-style and come with us! Bloom can go with me to Alfea, and you can live a new life! Fresh clean slate and everything!"

"You just met me and you think I can just, slip into a clean lifestyle?"

Stella shrugged as she offered a hand.

"Well, maybe! I don't know until I try."

Guts looked down at the hand before he let out a huff.

"Do what you want. It doesn't matter for me."

Stella took back the hand with an offended expression.

"Sheesh, how does she deal with you?"

Bloom spoke up with her eyes still closed.

"You get used to it after you get to know him."

Stella only blinked at Bloom before she threw her hands up in the air.

"Whatever! You're both crazy, but you're not bad people. C'mon, I can take us all there right now!"

Guts stood up as Bloom stretched with a few pops from her body. Stella dropped the postcard and watched it expand to this size of a large door. A translucent light emanated from it as Stella hopped right in.

"Nothing to it you two!~"

They watched Stella fall into the portal until she was completely gone. Bloom looked down at her feet and rubbed her arm.

"Uh, Guts?"

"What? Second thoughts already?"

"No! But... Would you, want me to leave?"

Guts turned his back to her as he began to enter the portal.

"I'd have a lot more quiet time to myself again, and wouldn't have to share food."

"..."

"I'd be without a lot of firepower too. It's up to you if you want to stay or go."

She looked up at him and shouted out.

"But what about you!? I-I know why you do what you do... Isn't this going to get in the way of that?"

Guts nearly fell in but stopped. He caressed the Brand on his body as his smile crept onto his face. A smile he made sure Bloom didn't see, but the thought... His thoughts that came from Stella's words, and the numerous Apostles he had slain.

"The Five God Hand exists in a realm above this one. They influence our world from there and use Apostles as their errand boys. Stella said that Magix is a realm where anything can happen... Wouldn't you think a doorway to them would be there? Or even that they reside there to begin with?"

Bloom feared it, but knew better. Guts never strayed from his path down into darkness, no matter how hard she tried to pull him into the light.

"You're only going for revenge... Always for revenge."

Guts grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"I do what I want, as you have too. So don't try to preach to me."

He turned to look back at her with his eye. The same cold and heartless stare he gave her when they had first met.

"When we get out on the other side, we should go our separate ways."

Bloom felt a sharp pain for a moment. For only a moment, it left a feeling of great betrayal, she felt like she had a sudden weight on her.

"I never asked for you to be with me, and no one asked you to stay."

"I-I'm like you!"

"No. You're not."

Before she could say another word, he leapt into the portal. Bloom didn't know how to take this. She did the only thing she knew how, and followed after him.


	2. Chapter 1: Born In Blood

_A dream. We all as humans share the capability of one. All share one desire. Content. Whatever makes up happy. Be it peace or violence, we as humans do all we can for the sake of dreams, be it ours or another's. It is the idea of dreams that drives man to do what he will. To do what he does and must become. As if by some transcendental law outside of his will dictated as gospel. An otherworldly hand that hovers above us all. A Hand of God that guides man towards his destiny, whether he wishes to or not..._

* * *

 **In this world, a startling vison is shared among all, an awe inspiring message from beyond such a world. A great fire. A warm and loving flame that burns furiously, that burns radiantly, sacred and cryptic in all it's being...**

Under a crimson evening sky. Within a choked and barren wasteland. A lone crooked tree stands with hung corpses in place of leaves. Few had rotted away, some had began to decompose, and one was a fresh woman. From this woman, underneath her stiff body, a baby lies I the mix of mud and her blood. A child born to die in this world cries out. What was destined to be his last breath, would be the first of many he would take for others...

"Aaaah... Aaagh... Aaaahn...!"

A woman in a camp groans in quiet agony as her diseased body dies away. She reaches out, her vision nearly gone as one eye was taken away by the grotesque infestation. A few nurses do what little they can to comfort her.

"Shizu, please hang in there... Oh, where is that awful man of hers!"

"At a castle, of all places, right when his woman's suffering the most!"

"Someone get me a fresh towel, this one is filthy!"

"We have to be careful. We could get this awful illness too."

One of the nurses went to hold Shizu's hand, but it was smacked away by the sickly woman, her head turned to the side as she looked past the nurses. The same one turned and saw a small child.

"Guts! Don't come near, you could get killed! Go outside and wai-"

Shizu gasped as she reached her hand out desperately.

"N-No...! Guts... Guts...!"

The child was mortified by the hideous visage on Shizu's face. It had looked like half her face had melted, yet he walked over to her, and held her hand tightly. Even in her immense pain, her body rapidly growing numb as her vision left her, she gave a weak smile to the teary toddler.

"Guts! This is your first fight! Don't choke up and get someone killed!"

A mercenary leader snarled at a boy in thin leather armor behind him. A scar across his nose and eager fire in his eyes. He only nodded before he drew a sword two times his size as they charged at a castle into battle. That night at camp, a victorious night, the child heard the movements of his tent. Someone had just entered.

"Who's there? It's too late for me to fetch water."

There was no response. He turned and sat up from the ground as he saw one of the soldiers he fought with.

"Donavan? What're you...?"

"Heh. Don't worry, it won't take long."

"Won't take, what...?"

The larger man chuckled as he reached down to pin the boy down. Guts began to panic and shout as his arms were held down. His knee shot into Donavan's groin and was momentarily released.

"Ugh! Y-You little fuck!"

"Augh! Ahh!"

Guts scrambled to get away, crawling on the floor, clawing at the grass and dirt to escape his assailant.

"Ain't no point of screaming!"

Donavan punched the back of Guts' skull. The boy's head swirled in aching pain, even his vison blurred slightly before he felt something around his face. A cloth was tied around his mouth as Donavan giggled.

"That's better... Now the-"

Guts thrashed around wildly and elbowed the man in the nose on accident, but fully intended to get away. Donavan growled as he held him down through the pain.

"Goddammit you little shit! Just sit still, I paid good for this!"

Guts looked back at him shocked as Donavan struck him again.

"That got you huh? Hee hee hee hee... Yeah. I bought you, and only for tonight. So don't fight it kid. I'll even be gentle, after all this."

"Mhf! Mmph! MMPH! MMHNPFF!"

Guts pitifully tried to wrestle himself out of this as he shouted from under the cloth. Only muffled cries came out as tears welled in his eyes. The morning sun barely began to rise as Guts laid there by himself. A whole mix of emotions in thoughts, apathy, grief, self-hatred, and even regret. He saw his sword that was just across from him. Just within arms reach. It'd be so easy. It'd just be so damn easy. To fall on it would be a simple task. He'd never have to worry about a thing. He reached for it with these thoughts in his heart and mind, leaking out of his fragile soul, and used it as a crutch for a moment to stand up before he left the tent to clean himself. He'd use this sword to make himself stronger, this sword too heavy for him to swing correctly, the sword that nearly got him killed instead. It'd be his new source of strength. In the next battle, it was another victory over a small fortress. Within a nearby forest, Donavan chased after the stragglers who ran.

"Hyeh hyeh hyeh!~ What's the matter?! No fight left!?"

He cackled as he chased after them on horse before he found an arrow in his chest.

"W-What...?"

He glanced up in the direction of the arrow and saw Guts. The boy had a crossbow in hand and a bloodied sword. He fired another bolt into the stomach and launched the larger man off of his horse. With a viscous breath, Guts leapt off of his horse and drew the blade at Donavan's throat.

"Who did it? Who sold me to you?!"

"... I-It was... G-Gambi-"

Guts shoved the sword into his mouth.

"WHO?!"

"G...Gaugh... Gamgh..."

 ***SHINK***

The sword had plunged itself through the mouth and out the neck, killing Donavan instantly. Only a few years passed for this band of hired soldiers, the leader crippled with the loss of his leg sat atop a hill with his dog. Guts ran up to him with a hopeful smile.

"Look what I got today! Look at this big bag of silver, some of it's gold too! I got a bonus for killing the general!"

The leader merely smiled as he ruffled the fur of his canine.

"Hey, go get me a drink."

"I-I can do tha-"

"And something to eat for him."

"... Th-The dog?"

He smirked, not even glancing at Guts.

"Did I stutter?"

"But what about me? T-This is my money!"

"Are you still standing there talking?"

"... B-But... Ga-"

Guts was struck with the crutch before he nearly dropped the sack of coins.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID I SAY BOY?! GO GET ME SOMETHING TO DRINK!"

Guts shook as he nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Guts only returned to his tent and threw the bag down. Furious, depressed, neglected and held below a dog of all things. The thoughts began to return. They always came at these times. It was time for him do something about this. He'd have no choice. He'd make his decision tomorrow, but fate did not plan for that. A storm began to roll in that night. The thunder and lightning woke Guts up for him to see the man he admired stand over him with a crazed face.

"You bastard... Fucking bastard!"

Guts saw the sword in his hand and reached for his own as his surrogate father raised it at him.

"You... You killed her!"

"A-Aah!"

Guts dodged a swipe as he held his own sword out.

"Y-You're drunk! Stop it, stop it now!"

"Yeah.~ Beg for it, I know you want this blade up your filthy ass... I bet you enjoyed it that night."

Guts parried the blows away as the man flashed a cruel sneer.

"I bet that's all you ever wanted...! Donavan probably didn't even have to struggle, you didn't even fight back!"

"... what...?"

He was caught off guard and sent to the ground by a blow to his nose from the hilt.

"Augh!"

"YOU ENJOY THIS SHIT! THAT'S WHY I SOLD YOU TO HIM!"

"N-NO!"

"You should've died at that tree, under your mother's corpse."

"H-Ha... Haa... AAAAAAAHHHH!"

Guts leapt to his feet, but was kneed in the stomach and sent back down, a sword raised for the killing blow.

"You killed my dreams..."

The boy looked up at the madman with only a saddened face. Perhaps this was it. This was the moment that decided his end. Where else could he go? What else could he do...

"G-Gambino..."

Guts couldn't even blink as everything happened so fast. When his mind caught up to his body, his was sword in a fresh corpse's throat that had fell on top of him. Did he kill him? Did he simply fall on the blade? Either way, a number of his comrades ran into the tent with shocked gasps.

"W-What... What is this? What the fuck is this, Guts?!"

He'd only have a moment to explain. Right? These men helped raised him they knew him better than this. Right?

"I-I-"

"You twisted fucking devil!" "I knew you were a goddamn curse!" "This draws the line! Kill him!"

One man ran at Guts with a knife. Instinct kicked in as Guts pulled out his sword and slashed under the man's arm. He cut his way out of the tent before he began to run. Even after all he had been through, things only continued to get worse as he broke a hung lantern, and started a fire on the camp before rain could even start. He stole a horse from the stables before anyone could know why he was running. Soon a mob of men with swords, bows and arrows, even spears and lances chased after him. All calling for his death. The projectiles flew by, grazing the flesh on his body and horse, yet one hit him directly on the shoulder. He was fell from his horse on off the side of a steep cliff. He awoke to the ambience of night. The brightness of a full pale moon shone in his eyes as crickets sounded off.

"I'm... Not dead."

He looked to this side and saw his eyes in the reflection of his sword, stabbed into the ground only a few centimeters from his skull.

"Why didn't you just... End it?"

He hissed as he pushed himself up. The arrow bolt still in his shoulder as blood continued to leak out. He lifted the sword out of the ground and began to walk. Swaying side to side, his head held up as he gazed at the sky full of shooting stars. One even came right at him. He wasn't sure if to be afraid or not. He wasn't. The star nearly hit him as he was blinded by the light. There was no impact, but rather a strange cry, a baby's cry. Guts looked down at his feet to find an infant wrapped in a swaddling cloth.

"What...?"

He felt pulled to the child. A sudden attachment, an odd warmth that allured him.

"What are you...?"

He reached down for the baby until he heard a howl. A pack of wolves stalked up to Guts and the star child with slathering jaws. Guts wanted this. Maybe this was the only good thing for him. As the wolves lunged for them both, he awaited the jaws sink into his throat.

"It's gonna be okay... We can go together..."

Guts smiled in the face of death.

 ***SHINK***

"... What?"

Guts' sword had been stabbed through a wolf's throat by his own hand. The baby cried louder as he stared down at the wolf's corpse.

"W-Why...?"

He saw one strafe to the side and leap for them. Guts severed the muzzle of the wolf as he stood between the pack and the crying child.

"Why...?!"

Three more came and three more died by his blade as he defended himself and the baby.

"WHY?!"

The few remaining wolves ran away from Guts. He stood there muddled, bloodied, and muddied. Tears began to fall.

"... Why can't I just die...?"

His head turned to the enigmatic child cry. He hovered over it and glared.

"Stop it..."

It continued.

"Shut up...!"

It did not.

"What the hell are you, huh? You don't have anything to worry about! You're just a goddamn baby! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO CRY ABOUT?!"

Guts reached down for the baby with a snarl. However his emotions subsided at the child opening its eyes and smiled. Giggled as it laid in wolf's blood and mud, some even his own blood. Smiling at him, for him. He nearly wrapped a hand around the baby's throat, and yet all he could feel was peace. A sense of security in this one smile. He lifted the baby up and began to walk with them in his arms...

 **A dark beast, a horrible hound, selfishly keeps the flame from all who seek it. This flame that heals, this flame that loves and knows only hope in despair, this flame that soothes the beast. It looks up to a light in the heavens, far beyond his reach, and seethes in fury of the light. The light that burns him...**


	3. Chapter 2: Fated Beginning

A large continent is stuck in a civil war that has spanned several generations. This war is so bloodied and riddled with political strife that there was no end in sight. It is known, as the Hundred Years War. At the sight of a siege on a small but significant fortress. The gates as mercenaries led by a knight charge through.

"Go forth! Anyone who kills the general will get the bonus!"

With a mighty cheer, the men rushed to meet the enemy into battle behind their own walls, only to stop upon five of them being slaughtered by one man in full spherical armor and wielding a battle axe.

"Wuhuhuhu!~ If you want your head lopped off, come at me!"

The mercenaries took steps back as the opposing army began to throw jeers. Among the hired soldiers were fearful words.

"H-Hey...! That's Bazuso!"

"Grey Knight Bazuso?!"

"You mean the Thirty-Man Slayer, Bazuso! That's him?!"

"A man who killed that many men by himself..."

"I heard he even killed a bear on his own..."

"I heard he did that with his bare hands!"

"W-What's he doing here!?"

The knight raised his sword high and swung it forward as he shouted proudly from atop his horse.

"Now's not the time for cowardice, but for courage! Go forth and claim your prize and secure your future!"

A random soldier shouted back.

"Get the fuck out of here with that bullshit and fight him yourself you shiny coated cunt!"

With a low grumble, the knight glared at the men that surrounded him.

"Worthless mercenaries...! Where's your pride?!"

Bazuso let out a heavy chortle.

"WUUHuhuhuh!~ Does the army of Midland no longer have any men fighting their battles? What a bunch of pussies!"

The knight forced a sneer on his face as he backed away from Bazuso's slow advance. However all eyes moved to a strange sight. A boy in leather armor and custom helmet held the hand of a small figure wrapped in rags from head to toe. The boy rolled his neck as he stared down Bazuso.

"Oi. How much for that one's head?"

The knight blinked before he spoke with his chivalrous tone.

"Aren't you a little young for this kind of work? But if you're that confident, I'll give you three gold coins!"

The boy turned his head with an annoyed expression.

"Ten gold."

"Seven gold!"

The boy pointed to the largest tower.

"We're going to open a way for you and your men in one move. We should be getting fifty."

The knight laughed as both sides began to berate the children.

"Look at these idiots!"

"Who does this boy think he is?!"

"Such a big sword on his back...! Is he just trying to show off?"

"Gwhahaha! That kid must be insane! What's with that midget clinging onto him!?"

"You can boast all you like, but not even I am getting paid until we win this battle, boy!"

With a huff, the boy brought the great sword out and held it forward, pointed at Bazuso as the smaller figure climbed up and onto the boy's back. The Grey Knight chuckled at the sight.

"What is this?~ Midland sends mere children?! WHUUUUHUHUHUHU!~ This is almost too- AIE!?"

The boy near flew for Bazuso, the larger knight managed to block the barrage of blows with the handle of his axe.

"H-Hu-H-Uh-Huh?!"

Strike after strike, the boy pushed him back as he swung this oversized sword faster than he had a right to, stronger than any had thought. Even the soldiers on his own side were shocked.

"That kid is cornering Bazuso! Is this for real!?"

From up above the ground within the fortress, a group of mercenaries of the enemy force watched with interest.

"W-Whoa! What's that guy doing?! He's really taking Bazuso on by himself?"

Spoke a rather young one.

"Keh! He's not so bad, but with that thing clinging onto him, he'll get weighed down and killed. Just look at the size of that sword! Don't try to be a hero like this doofus, Rickert!"

An imprudent soldier snickered.

"Watch and learn Corcus. Just look at how fast he swings the thing. He knows what he's doing."

One soldier let out cool remark. A large one silently grunted by his side.

"He's swinging wildly, Judea. There's no real tact to his attack, just a thug fighting for his life."

A rather feminine soldier turned to their leader who watched the scene intently. His eyes steadily on the boy who fought against the Grey Knight. Bazuso roared as he forced the boy back with a hard shove as he raised his axe. The boy swung his blade high into the edge of the axe and damaged it.

"B-Bastard! Ha!"

Bazuso saw the stance the boy had taken. If he didn't act now, this would be the end.

"Take This!"

He swung the axe to cleave his opponent's head into pieces as the boy swung his blade into Bazuso's side. The axe met the boy first, but broke to pieces from the previous damage as it only knocked the helmet off. The boy's sword broke through the armor as it tore into his side.

"G-Guagh!"

Bazuso fell to his knees as the boy held his sword up high. Bazuso held his hands out.

"N-No, wait! I can give you money and status anything you wan-"

 ***SCHLOCK***

The sword split Bazuso's head right in half. The face of the boy was for all to see. Guts let out a small huff as everyone was in silent awe, except for the figure that held onto the young warrior, who leapt onto the end of the blade. Guts sneered as he swung the sword up and catapulted them high into the air. The figure held their hands out as an immense flame erupted from them and destroyed the main tower. They fell into his arms as both of them stared down the knight, Guts alone gave a glare.

"Fifty gold."

The knight was unsure of what to make of the scene but was knocked out of his shock from the enemy side beginning their retreat. He raised his sword and proclaimed loudly.

"G-Go forth! We've seized the day! Let no dog of Tudor make out alive!"

The men roared in victory as they chased down the broken forces. The boy sneered until he saw a hateful gaze he knew all too well.

"And a bonus for the head of that creature! I don't care if it takes all of you, but anyone who rids the world of those vermin will get the bonus for Bazuso! I should've known such shady characters were into witchcraft!"

The figure gasped as they held onto Guts who rushed through the soldiers. Many were in high spirits as they came from all sides and angles. However, Guts was like a whirlwind, each swing of his blade took a life or three. The high spirits of the soldiers plummeted as many soon made way for the hunted duo, neither looking back at the fortress as they fled, the knight chased after them on his steed.

"Halt heretics! I will smite you down in the Name of Go-"

The knight gasped as Guts stopped in his tracks and thrust the sword back into the knight's chest, sending the older man off the horse. As he fell, the duo hijacked the horse and left the scene. They escaped to a grassy plain, Guts prepared a camp by lone tree, the masked figure pulled and tugged at the rags around their face with muffled whines.

"What? You want it off now? Fine, no one's around anyways."

He sat behind her and began to untie several tight knots.

"Quit squirming, I'm almost done... There."

The rags fell to the ground and revealed an enchanting face. A radiant smile from a young girl as she held up a sack in her hands.

"I did it! Just like you said, no one noticed the money was stolen!"

Guts smirked as he ruffled the girl's shimmering red-orange hair.

"And anyone with worth to their word is dead. C'mon. You need to learn how to hunt for yourself."

The smile turned into a pout as she held her head low.

"I'm tired, and I've seen it a lot of times, I get it!"

"What's the first rule of hunting."

"Er... It's not some stupid lesson you learn in school!"

Guts rolled her head around with his hand with a smirk, much to her annoyance, and sighed.

"What am I going to do with you? You'll have to watch a hundred times more."

Soon they both began to travel down the path, Guts on foot as the girl rode the horse. From afar, a small group of wandering mercenaries caught sight of the two.

"Oi, Corcus! Ain't that the soldier that killed Bazuso over there?"

Corcus narrowed his eyes at the two before snickering.

"Hey now!~ It sure is! I don't see that witch by him either, but I do see that hefty pouch of gold he took from the knight! Ripe for the picking boys!"

The three soldiers rode down the hill on their horses as they brandished their weapons and made their intent known to the traveling duo. Guts turned his head to them and gripped the hilt of his blade.

"Bloom. Hit the two on the side. I got the one on the middle."

The girl shrunk back but nodded.

"Okay... H-Here goes!"

She squinted and focused before two significantly smaller fireballs flew from her hands. One hit the soldier on the left and sent him off his horse with a groan. The other barely missed Corcus, who was on the right, but it was enough to have him fall from fear and heat alone. Guts easily cleaved the soldier in half, the horse running off on it's own as the rider fell to the ground in two. From over the hill was a camp of Crocus and his allies. One of the soldiers scoffed at the sight. A girl with short dark hair and dark skin.

"Idiot. Now he'll get what's coming to him for not knowing where and when to pick a fight."

"Casca."

She turned to the voice behind her. An ivory haired boy sat in the grass with another tan skinned girl, though much smaller than Casca and with long highlited hair, laid on the boy's stomach with flowers adorned in her hair. The boy spoke in a simple uncaring tone.

"Go help Corcus."

"Wh- But he got himself into this!"

The boy looked back at her. The stare alone was enough to send a chill down her spine as she groaned. The smaller girl spoke up with her eyes closed.

"Just do it!~ That one's dangerous, and the one with him could be put to better use, she'd be better with us."

Casca then raised a brow at the girl.

"She? How did you... Magic. Right."

As she ran off for battle, Corcus sat up with a shake of his head and a groan, grumbling under his breath.

"Stupid, idiots, shoulda gotten a shield for that wicked bit- Eep!"

He gasped and fell still at the sight of Guts with his sword raised skyward. The mercenary's eyes welled up as he silently prayed to whatever god would listen to his prayer for salvation. He was amazed to see an arrow whizzed by Guts' arm. His head snapped to a soldier on horseback, a sword in one hand and a crossbow in the other, a soldier Corcus was happy to see.

"Casca! Holy shit! I knew you'd come fo-"

Casca interrupted him mid-sentence as she aimed for Guts with the crossbow once more.

"I didn't, Griffith's orders."

She mentally cursed herself. She aimed straight, but the arrow had moved on it's own away from Guts, as if it had a mind of it's own. She didn't have any further time to think as Guts assaulted her with his large blade. Each swing nearly swept her off the horse. She attempted to fire another arrow at point-blank, but let out a yelp of surprise as Guts leapt to the side, revealing a fireball headed right for her. Casca was knocked off by the force of the fireball yet suffered minor burns as it had fizzled out faster than it should have. She lifted her head as she recognized the girl on the horse as the witch at the fortress.

"M-Magic... I hate magic."

Just as she recovered and stood to her feet, Guts brought down his sword, but pulled back as a javelin fell between the two. He scowled under his helmet as he turned to bark at the witch that accompanied him.

"BLOOM, WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!"

"T-There's someone else there!"

Guts felt something, something odd, a shadow casted over him and Casca. He turned in the direction of the shadow and found a white knight on an ivory steed. Guts swung his mighty blade for the knight, but was shocked as the knight brought out his saber and parried the blade. Not blocking nor deflecting, Guts' sword simply slide down the blade, like water sliding down a surface. With an eloquent flourish of his wrist, the knight sent the saber in Guts torso, and easily pulled it out before Guts could react. The action, the manner, all of it happened so fast that he nearly didn't see it coming. He began to stumble and began to black out before falling onto the ground. Bloom gasped and let out a cry as roots erupted from the ground around her, ensnaring her alone and allowing the horse to run free, constricting the young witch before she passed out long. Guts could only look up as the knight removed his helmet and revealed Griffith. Though they knew each other not, neither would know the roles they'd play in their lives...

Darkness

* * *

 **The earth was dying of thirst for love and sustentation. Pureness and wholeness desired by the buried roots. For this land and it's suffering, the flame had shed golden tears, shimmering in their own radiance as the beast watched them fall to the earth. From this corrupted plane, perverted and spoiled world gnarled by it's own sin, grew a garden...**


	4. Chapter 3: Sworn By Battle

_"... me."_

Bloom groaned as she stared off into the black empty space. The unseen voice spoke once more.

 _"... ind ..e..."_

"I-I can't hear you...!"

She was lost as she attempted to reach out in vain. Unable to see her own arms within the darkness. She had never heard the voice before, yet found it familiar, pulling at her with a nostalgic allure she hadn't felt before.

 _"Find me..."_

"Find you? B-But, I don't even know you!"

She felt a hand grab her wrist tightly. Instinctively she pulled away and began to throw her fist in the direction of the pull. What she saw terrified her. Deep crimson, dark as soiled blood, formed from flames was the shape of a horrific bird. A black-hearted phoenix that seized with it's savage talons.

"N-No! No! Get away!"

"Agh! H-Hey! Damned brat, stop it!"

Bloom woke up with a jolt as she was pinned down by Casca. Cicadas chirped loudly outside of the tent with the soft breeze of the grass plain wind blew by. Casca wasn't one to trust anyone by their cover, especially when that anyone could hurl fire balls of mass destruction. However a strange sense of guilt arose in her as she stared in the frighten eyes of the witch. There wasn't any malevolence or hatred behind them as she uttered out past her choked voice.

"W-Where is Guts...! W-Wh-What did you do to him...!?"

Casca knew all too well the face the girl had on..

"He's right there."

Casca released Bloom and pointed by the girl's side, where laid her companion stripped of his armor and wrapped in bandages. Bloom threw herself onto him with teary eyes.

"Good! That's... B-But, why? I don't get it, why are we still alive?"

Bloom looked back at Casca, who only leaned back before standing to her feet, a she shake her head as she turned to leave.

"Our leader does what's best for us, these were his orders, so shut up and be grateful."

Casca left the tent and rubbed her head. It wasn't her head that was feeling odd, but her chest that was infested with an irritable sensation.

"Trouble, Casca? I can prepare medicine if you're feeling ill."

Casca's head snapped to the side with a scowl. She relaxed as she recognized the figure. The witch that accompanied Griffith.

"Flora! You shouldn't be up at such a late hour."

Flora shook her head with a smile as she skipped over to Casca's side.

"I couldn't help but notice you on your own! Acting as guard so the others couldn't take advantage of that girl, that's not like you!"

Casca scoffed with her scowl fading away, her nose up as she turned from Flora.

"As if! I simply happened upon it! Griffith's orders were that we were to treat them and tell hi. when both were awake. Only the girl woke up again...!"

She turned around as it suddenly hit her. A witch with the power to topple stone towers made to defend against cannon fire had woken up without any restraints within her own camp.

"I've got to bind her-"

"Wait a moment Casca! If she wanted to use magic and burn everything to the ground, she would've already."

Casca ignored Flora and re-entered the tent. Bloom laid on top of Guts with a tearstained face, but a strange expression, a warm smile. Fast asleep. Stunned by this, Flora snatched Casca's hand and pulled her back outside with a pout.

"And you marching in on her like that would only provoke her into doing that...! Please, think before you act."

"She's smiling...? Why would she be smiling if she understood her situation, especially for her age?"

Flora raised a brow with folded arms.

"She looks to be around my age, and I'm pretty smart, smarter than a lot of the older soldiers here Casca."

"N-Not what I meant... Why would anyone dare to smile in such a dire situation?"

"Isn't it obvious? She smiling because, she's happy. I smile like that when I'm with Griffith."

Casca raised a brow at Flora with a hand on her hip.

"And your point is...?"

"You may think nothing of that boy, but to her he's everything, just like to us Griffith is everything. To her, this is their last night, and who better to spend it than with the person you cherish most?"

Casca stepped back with groan, turning away from the smaller girl and marched off. Flora looked within the tent and Bloom still hugging Guts tightly.

"... I hope you two stay..."

The next morning Guts woke up with a jolt and a gasp. His head snapped around in a panic. Bloom was nowhere to be seen. There was a squeal outside the tent, her squeal. Guts leapt to his feet and dashed out of tent. Hissing at the brightness of the sunlight, his eyes adjusted as he stared at the mercenary camp he had woken up to. One he never saw before. Young men, roughly around his age or perhaps older, all worked together with smiles on their faces, comradery he never saw among a group before. Then he saw her. Bloom was in the hands of a large square jawed man with squinted eyes. He threw her high into the air and caught her as she fell giggling.

"So high!~ You're really strong, sir!"

The man only nodded as he caught Guts in the corner of his eyes, as did Bloom, the man placed her down as she ran to his side.

"Guts! This camp isn't so bad! Everyone is so nice!"

"We're leaving."

"Huh...? But why!?"

"We're in enemy territory, if they want to just let us go, then we're going."

Bloom gave him a heartbroken frown, yet that only irritated him further.

"Don't give me that face! I'm going to protect you, and it's not safe here!"

A lazy voice yawned out behind Guts.

"That's not entirely true!~ If we wanted to hurt you, you'd be worse than you are now!"

A blonde boy with blue eyes and short stature approached Guts with an easygoing expression.

"I'm Judeau, the big guy is Pippin, and we're members of this merry band of mercenaries!~"

Pippin nodded again as Judeau gestured around. Guts only stared at them, which gained a groan from the blonde.

"You know, you're the one we ought be glaring at, that fortress back there the other day was our job. You go and take all the gold!"

Guts only kept quiet even at Bloom's tug. She mumbled under her breath.

"They took the gold so... We should stay to get it back?"

"We can do that on our own."

A cough sounded as an older man entered the scene, a tall scepter illustrated with an arcane design in hand, and though his hair grey and his face wrinkled his body seemed at it's prime.

"I'm afraid that isn't an option at the moment. Not as long as she's by your side."

He pointed to Bloom as she hid behind Guts, the young warrior held her closer as he scowled.

"So you're in charge, old man."

He shook his head before he stepped to the side.

"No. He is."

Behind him stood the boy who defeated Guts before. A boy blessed with breathless features, his face more like the final painting of a masterful artists, skin of alabaster and eyes a soothing ice blue. Ivory hair that fluttered and flowed in the wind, like that of an unpolluted river untouched by even the stains of Nature itself, he was that of a prince ripped from a fairytale. He held up Guts' blade in one hand.

"This is yours. It's hard to hold, yet you wield it with ease, that's quite a feat."

Guts said nothing as Bloom marveled at the leader. He offered the blade back as he looked to Bloom.

"My name is Griffith, and this is Saladin, a Wizard. He and everyone else here are apart of the Band of the Hawk. That girl is a Fairy, much like my own companion."

He looked off to the side at a girl who gestured like a conductor in front of a vegetable garden. The plants wiggled and squirmed into a strange dance as they grew at an alarming rate, ripe in a matter of seconds, and hand picked by her as she strolled to an outside kitchen. Griffith turned his head back to the duo.

"I want you both to join."

"No."

Guts took his sword and began to walk past him. Those nearby were shocked, save for Griffith and Saladin, as Guts and Bloom began to take their leave. Griffith spoke again.

"You'd rather tread the road alone? I can't see the reason behind that, please reconsider your choice. Saladin here knows the truth behind that girl's origin. How and why she fell from the sky."

Guts stopped as he slowly turned his head to Griffith. Silent as the other continued.

"And as for you, you don't care for gold, you care for fighting in a war. In battle. You're good, but not the best, you can be if you join us."

"You don't know me."

"Then show me who you are."

Saladin sternly spoke out with sincerity in his voice.

"Child. You can't possibly want to be with a mad boy like this, can you?"

Bloom shook her head. Her eyes now resolute as she squeezed the hand she held.

"Whenever we had little food, he'd give me his share. Whenever we were cold, he'd layer me in his own clothes and himself, he'd shiver as I was warm. He never sold me for money like others would, he never left me behind and acted as a shield for me, he and I have always been together because we only have each other."

Saladin leaned back from the stare. Not visibly shaken, but internally distraight, he couldn't unsee the man he had admired years ago. He saw him again, in her eyes. Griffith sighed as he took but a single step forward.

"How can I convince you to stay? There must be something you'd agree to."

Guts turned around fully with a frown, then a sneer as he drew the blade forth, aimed at Griffith as he took his stance.

"You want us? Win us over. A one on one with you and me. No magic, just ourselves and our wit, win and we stay. Lose, and I take all the gold back."

Saladin held up his scepter, angered, but raised a brow at Griffith as the young man laughed.

"Of course, I accept! We'll have our duel on that hill away from the camp."

He rested a hand on his saber as he strolled away to the location, Guts grunted as he followed after him, both looked back to their allies.

"Don't interfere." "Don't interfere!"

Bloom shrank back as Saladin nodded. He turned to Judeau.

"Tell the camp, everyone is welcome to watch, but no weapon may be drawn."

"Gotcha, gramps."

The elder grumbled as Judeau and Pippin began to spread the word. By the time Guts had made it to the top, the entire camp gathered at the base of the hill, his eyes wide as everyone cheered for Griffith. The leader drew his saber.

"That arm I injured, we kept it wounded to keep you in check, but in this case we can postpone the duel."

Guts kept his blade trained on Griffith.

"If you won't swing first, I will! We both know I have the reach!"

"As well as the strength, but may I have one last word?"

"What?! We're wasting time!"

"Why do you protect that Fairy, if you throw yourself into death so often?"

Guts' eyes widened, taken aback from the question, speechless enough for Griffith to reply to the silent question.

"You threw yourself at Bazuso so willingly. You spearheaded through the wave of soldiers and took that knight on by yourself when they turned on you. Yet through that, you kept her out of it as much as you could, even hiding her face over her powers to keep her pure. I know that feeling with Flora."

Guts began to look down as Griffith lowered his saber.

"How did you two come to meet? We can talk about it la-"

Griffith gasped and hissed as dirt flew into his face, some in his eyes, Guts had used his blade to dig up the ground and threw it at him. Griffith was distracted and this allowed Guts his payback as he brought down the sword, raised from the first initial swing, but as he dug his edge into the dirt Griffith was nowhere to be seen. Then, like a falcon, Griffith fell gracefully from the sky and on top of Guts' sword with perfect balance. His saber aimed at the other's throat.

"You didn't lie! You'd do anything to win I've grown to like you even more now for it! But what now? Your sword unavailable, your sword arm still recovering, and you outmatched by skill. The only option you have is surrender."

Saladin grinned and nodded as the others around him cheered.

"That's it... Griffith has always surprised and surpass all expectations no matter how high I set the bar."

Bloom however shouted loud as she could for Guts' victory, though the jeers from those around her began to silence her, Flora then cheered for Guts as well. She looked to her confused comrades.

"How often do we get to see Griffith fight on his own? And that boy nearly had him, this is exciting!"

She then looked over to Bloom with a wink. The red head smiled back with a reassured sigh. Then, all gasped, including Griffith himself as Guts opened his mouth and bit down on the saber. He then pushed forward as he held the blade in his mouth and forced Griffith to the ground. This was his comeback for revenge. He hadn't fell over, and used this opportunity to kick Griffith's head, the blow knocked the duelist back further, only kept down by a small hail of punches. Saladin gripped his scepter tightly as he pulled back a soldier who ran from the crowd.

"Hold child! This is what he agreed upon, this is his fight."

Casca looked back at Saladin wounded by the action.

"B-But...!"

"Have faith in him. I trained him, and we've seen him fight before."

Judeau spoke up with skepticism as he scratched his cheek.

"You've never seen this guy fight, even I didn't think of biting the blade."

He shrank back with a nervous laugh at the glare from both of his comrades. Bloom through punches in the air herself as Flora began to bite her nails. Guts stood up as he sneered at Griffith, head held high as he watched the boy spit blood from the assault, he felt proud as he punched a fist into an open hand.

"With a face that pretty, you probably never got struck like that before, huh? Well first time for everything!"

He went for another punch, but found himself on the ground instead, Griffith had led him into an arm-lock. His reassuring gaze turned to a fierce blizzard, piercing all who fall under it as he twisted and held his grip, a simple smile on as he spoke.

"I'm afraid this is check, an admirable effort, but any further will result in the dislocation of your shoulder. Concede."

Guts snarled as he struggled best he could, but his face was in the dirt now, and Griffith on top. His eyes moved to Bloom who watched him. The worry and the fear, it all made it so much harder for him as the blood trickled between his teeth, the edge of the blade having cut his mouth inside. Even so, Guts looked back at Griffith with a rebellious glare.

"Do it... Or I win, basta-a-aagh...!"

It was an audible snap. Everyone heard it, like the ring of a victory bell, everyone clamored together in Griffith's greatness while Bloom ran to Guts' side. She helped him up to his knees and panted.

"You...! Your arm...! Why did...! Hah, hah, hah...!"

She was in a panic, and some soldiers began to taunt them both, but Griffith silenced all. A hand on Guts' cheek and the other on Bloom as he innocently beamed at them both with a bloodied lip.

"From now on, you belong to me."

She nodded and expected Guts to act rashly, but he stared into this young duelist's eyes, lost and without anywhere to go. Guts, ever so faintly and subtly, seen only by the two did he nod. By the sword he was now sworn.

* * *

 **From a light above and descended below with grace of heaven, a Hawk landed before Beast and Flame, and offered them kinship. The Beast bit his wing, and fell back by the wrath of the beak and talon of the Hawk, lost was an eye. Gained was admiration. The Flame found naught disdain, but only what it had given itself, peace. And they joined him in kinship**


End file.
